Discover Southern California, one adventure at a time. Find your next favorite spot under the SoCal sun!

Korean Bell of Friendship

The Friendship Bell in San Pedro, California is officially called the Korean Bell of Friendship, and it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in the Los Angeles Harbor area.

It sits in Angels Gate Park on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in San Pedro, and it’s both a cultural monument and a scenic viewpoint.

A massive 17-ton bronze bell housed inside a stone, pagoda-style pavilion was donated by the Republic of Korea to the United States in 1976 to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial. It is also intended to honor Korean War veterans and symbolize friendship between South Korea and the U.S.

Weighing 17 tons, with a height of twelve feet and a diameter of 7-1/2 feet, the bell is made of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, lead and phosphorous added for tone quality. Learn more HERE.

Did You Know?

• The bell was cast in Korea and shipped to California.
• It’s modeled after an ancient Korean royal bell from the Silla Dynasty.
• The pavilion was built with traditional Korean design, including 12 columns representing the zodiac animals.
• The bell is struck from the outside with a large wooden log (it has no internal clapper).